Foldable tent frame



y ,1957 E. E. NORDMEYER 2,799,286

FOLDABLE TENT FRAME Y 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 18. 1954 dwzin Z. Nordmeyer' INVENTOR BY I ATTORNEYS July 16, 1957 E. E. NORDMEYER FOLDABLE TENT FRAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Ndv. 1a, 195

Edna (Ln Z: Nordmeyer INVENTOH ATTORNEYS July 16, 1957 E. E. NORDMEYER 2,

FOLDABLE TENT FRAME Filed Nov. 18, 1954 5 Sheeis-Sheet s 1? dugn 15'. Nordmeyer g INVENTOR I I Hx v f I ATTORNEYS July 16 E, E, NORDMEYER FOLDABLE TENT FRAME Filed Nov. 18, 1954 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 fdw zln If Nordmeyer INVENTOR n l I o i ATTORNEYS.

I July 16, 1 7 E. E. NORDMEYER 2,799, 6

FOLDABLE TENT FRAME Filed Nov. 18, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I'doqri E Nordmeyer INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent FOLDABLE TENT FRAME Edwin E. Nordmeyer, Tucson, Ariz. Application November 18, 1954, Serial No. 469,666

2 Claims. (Cl.,135.4)

This invention relates to a foldable tent and more particularly to a tent frame which may be easily folded from an extended position for ready carryingabout from one location to another where it is to be unfolded and set up carrying about in its folded condition and mayalso be securely anchored to a desired location in its unfolded.

or extended position.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a foldable tent frame of the kind which is lightinweight, low in'cost and easily manipulated by persons unskilledin the art of tent erection and folding.

It is a further object of this tent frame to provide a framework wherein the canvas or other covering will not have to be removed either in erection or folding of the frame. The covering once placed on the frame shall remain in any poistion or condition of the tent unless it is desired to take suchcovering off for repairs or any other reason arbitrarily decided upon by the owner of such a tent.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described and the novel features req de n d t app ed cl ms- Inthe drawings:

Fig, 1 is aside elevation of a folding tent frame constructed according to an embodiment of my invention,-the

tent frame heing in its fully extended condition.

Fig is atop plan view of the fullyextended tentframe. Fig.3 is a. side elevation of my tent frame in its par-. yn ol e co dition.

FigLA is a side elevation of my, tent frame invention. in

sfu lyl d d c nditiona Figgfi is an enlarged, tOP Planview of the, spider of the frame, partly brokenaway.

Fig. 6 isan enlarged side elevation, partly broken away, of the top. of the frame, taken onthe line 6-6. of Fig. 5.

Fig. .7 is an enlarged ,side,.:elevation,- partly broken,

aigof h rizon al a ms ,of the tent, .frame,-, art1y, broken away. I Fig; taken on the line 11- =-11 of Fig.'10. j-

Figs-l2 is a transverse section; partly ,broken awayi,

taken on theline -1212'of Fig. 10;

Fig? 13 "is anenlarged side elevation,- partly "broken 11'is a transverse section, partly brokenaway q away and partly in section of thejwinding drum for the cord and adjustable cord engaging guiding pulley removed from its ,vertical supporting position.

Fig.114 is a transverse section through a vertical sup-- porting post having a cordwinding pulley thereon.

Fig. 15 is a side elevation of the cord winding pulley shown in Fig. 14, removed from the vertical'supporting post therefore.

Fig'.-16 is aside'jeleVation, partly broken away, of the 1 cord winding pulley andcord guiding pulley shownin Fig; 13.

Fig 17 is a side elevation, partly'broken away of a carrier supporting diagonal brace between a vertical supporting post and a horizontal frame arm.

Fig. 18, is a transverse section takemon the line,18-18' of Fig. 5..

Fig. 1 9 is ,a rear..elev,ation, partly broken away of the.

lower end of a vertical supporting post.

Fig. :20 is a side. elevation, partly'brokentaway, of the.

lower end of the ,vertical supporting post shown in Fig. 19. Fig; 21 is a transverse section takenron the line 2121 of Fig. 20.

Fig; 22'.is an enlarged fragmentary top, plan view of the',connection of the vertical supporting post, the in- Referring .now. more particularly to thewdrawings vthe. numeral 30 {designates generally a tent frame constructed according to an embodiment of myinvention.

The'tent frame is adapted to be foldedto its compact folded position. to be carried about .from one place to another as may be desired by .a person .using-the tent frame for camping or other locations where the .tent frame may be erected by the person. ".Thettent frame-30 is adapted to be carried about in a car or other vehicle so that it may beeasily transported from one location to another" and is formed as a rigid fra'meufor, atent -cover,-not shown in thejdrawings, at any other place where the person having the tent frar'nedesires to rhellocateds Th'e tent frame 30 is provided with vertically extending posts 31 having wheelst32 'rotatablysupported at one end, the lower end ther eof,,so ,that the entire tent frame-may be rolled about on the. groundfwhenit is in its foldedor extended position. ,The ,main Ipurpose of the-wheels of course is to facilitate, the.' setting..;up..of the. tent into its unfolded position When ,thetent .frameriiflsis extended to its raised position the rod sectionsfiiwhich are. pivotally mounted on the upper end of eachof thewverticalpostsfil are hingedly moved outwardly for connection together andsupporting the vertical posts in their verticalwposition. One end of eachrofathehrod .sections.34 is hingedly mounted to the uppe1:-end.of .a supporting post-3'1 and' the other end of each of the. rod sections isformed with a notch 35 thereinforireceivinga'similarnotch on-a mating rod,section' 34,in its -fullyextended position and the extended condition. of the. ,tent. frame.

A tubularnsleeveh36ois slidablymsupported'on one of the rod sections 34 for engaging over the notched .ends of each. of the .rodsections to rigidly" secure the rod sections together in their aligned position as clearly shown in Fig; 1 of the drawings. Each of thelsleeves 3.6 isv provided with a latch bolt 37 intermediate,,themlengthdhereof and eachof the rod'seci ns. t34fis provided with a hinge. fitting 38 which connects both to the.,rod.sections.and;.the vertical posts 31 so that the rod section may be swung in an arcuate path Patented July .16, 1957.

from a position parallel to and overlying a vertical post to a position at right angles to the post at the upper end thereof. The latch bolt 37 is adapted to be seated in an arcuate notch within the recess notch 35 for properly locating and positioning the sleeve 36 thereon. Y

A spider 39 is to be supported at the upper end or side of the tent frame and will form the center of the top thereof on which the top of the tent cover may be engaged. The spider 39 is formed with a plurality of arms 40 extending radially outwardly from the center thereof and links 41 are supported at one end in each of the arms 4i) for pivotal movement of both the links and the spider from its extended position to its folded position.

The spider 39 and each of the spider arms 40 are opened at the upper side thereof so that the links 41, when pivoted in the arms of the spider may extend upwardly toward the respective vertical posts 31, in the process of unfolding the tent frame.

A coiled spring 42 is engaged with each of the links 41 and the spider arms for constantly urging the link downwardly of the tent frame and the force of the spring 42 will aid in erecting the frame and positioning the spider 39 above the horizontal plane of the upper ends of the vertical supporting posts 31 as clearly indicated in Fig. l of the drawings.

When the links 41 are pivoted relative to the spider 39 and the supportings posts 31 the horizontal rod sections 34 must be properly located and held in this location by the sleeve 36 engaging over the mating ends of the rod sections. The sleeve 36 is held against loose disposition on each of the rod sections 34 by a stop 43 which is carried by each of the rod sections and will engage one end of the sleeve 36 when it is slid away from its connecting position in the unfolded condition of tent frame.

A hinge fitting 45 is carried by the extreme upper end of each of the vertical supporting posts 31 and may have a sort of tubular end for engagement about the vertical posts and an outwardly extending arm to which the outer end of each of the links 41 is pivotally engaged. A wire coiled spring 42 is also engaged with the hinge fitting 45 and the respective link 41 for constantly urging the link upwardly relative to the tent frame 30 and this force of the spring will aid together with the spring connection at the spider, in unfolding the tent frame 30 to its position on which the cover of the tent may be properly held.

Each of the links 41 is also provided with a guy wire which extends along the length of each of the links and is connected at one end to the spider and at the other end to the hinge fitting 45 so that the links 41 may be substantially rigid in the process of unfolding the frame.

When the tent frame 30 is unfolded to its extended position a wire brace 47 is properly located between each of the vertical posts 31 and its respective horizontal rod section 34 adjacent to the vertical posts and below the spider 39 as clearly indicated in the drawings. The brace 47 is preferably pivotally mounted on each of the post sections 31 and will engage with each of the rods 34 to properly and rigidly secure the rod sections in their proper extended relation to the posts. When the tent frame 30 is in its folded position the braces 47 will overlie the post sections 31 in the manner clearly shown in the drawings. Each of the braces 47 is provided with a cam 48 adjacent to the pivotal connection of the brace with the vertical posts to properly position the brace relative to the posts. The cam is merely a quick look mechanism and the brace 47 pivots from the post sections 31 when the tent frame is folded either fully or partially as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

Each of the hinge fittings as 38 and 45 are provided with a pivot pin 49 about which the respective rods or spiders may be pivotally moved.

All except two of the vertical posts 31 are provided with horizontally extending and horizontally rotatable pulleys 50 about which a flexible cord 51 may be trained when it is desired to fold the frame up from its extended position from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings. One of the vertical posts 31 is provided with an anchor or cleat for securely attaching two ends of the cord 51 thereto and another one of the vertical posts 31 is provided with a winding drum 60 having a rotatable shaft 61 therein with a. handle 62 secured to a circular plate which is fixed on the shaft 61 and is extended outwardly from the vertical post 31 on which the winding drum 60 is mounted.

The winding drum 6%) is formed with a plurality of grooves between the outer sides thereof within which the cord 51 may be engaged when the cord is drawn up or collected by the winding drum. When the winding drum is rotated for collecting the cord 61 the cord will be tightened and move the posts together to their folded relation to each other and to the rod sections 34 and the links 41 which have been positioned for disposition between the posts 31 in their folded position.

A rope guide 64 is carried by the same post 31 which carries the winding drum 60, the guide 64 directing the cord onto the winding'drurn. The guide 64 is provided with a longitudinally extending axle 65 and this axle together with the guide 64 may be adjusted relative to the winding drum 60 by a screw 67 so that a continual tension may be exerted on the cord within the winding drum. The cord collected by the winding dmm may then be passed outwardly through a slot 68 in one of the plates 69 which carries the winding drum and the guide.

In the use and operation of the tent frame 30 described above, the tent frame will initially be in its folded condition as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings and to be extended the rod sections 54 are initially placed in alignment with the posts 31 in a separated condition and the spider 39 together with its related links 41 may be moved upwardly from the folded tent frame 30 as clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawings.

With this position of the vertical posts and the rod sections the tubular sleeve 36 may he slid to a position for holding the rod sections in their proper alignment at which time the links 41 are positioned at the top of the tent frame and the spider 39 is located at substantially the apex of the tent frame.

When it is desired to secure the tent frame on the ground the spikes 56 slidably supported at the lower end of each of the posts is moved downwardly for engage ment in the ground and the spikes by supporting the posts will securely anchor the posts in their desired position to hold the posts and tent frame against lose moving about by the wind or any accidental force which would happen to encounter the tent frame 30 or the tent supported thereby.

A plate 57 is slidably carried by the lower end of each downwardly and the spike 56 is provided with a plurality of vertically spaced apart lugs 58 thereon which engage on the upper and lower side of the plate 57 for properly positioning the spike relative to the plate when the spike is moved along the length of the supporting post 31.

While the specific details of one embodiment of this invention have been herein shown and described, the invention is not confined thereto as changes and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: I I

l. A folding tent frame of the kind described comprising a plurality of horizontally spaced apart rigid vertical supporting posts, a spider between the upper ends of said posts, links pivotally connected between said spider. and the upper ends of said posts, horizontal rods between V each of said rod sections being hingedly connected at the outer endthereof to the'upper end of one of said posts for hinged vertical movement in an arcuate path relative to the respective posts, the other or inner end of each of said rod sections being separably connected to the confronting end of an adjacent section, said spider being movable from an extended position above said rods to a folded position between said separated rod sections and their respective posts, springs connected between said' spider and the inner ends of said links, springs between the outer ends of said links and said posts for constantly urging said links and spider to an extended operative position, and means for moving said posts, rod sections, links and spider about their respective hinges.

2. A folding tent frame of the kind described comprising a plurality of parallel vertically extending horizontally spaced apart tent supporting posts, a spider carried by said posts, a plurality of spider supporting links between said spider and the upper ends of said posts, hinge fittings at one end of said links connected to said spider, said links extending substantially radially outwardly from said spider, a hinge fitting at the upper end of said posts engaging the respective links adjacent the other ends thereof whereby said other ends of said links may project outwardly beyond said posts, a stabilizing cable carried by each of said links extending longitudinally thereof from said posts to said spider, a pair of horizontally ex tending rod sections between each pair of said posts, each of said rod sections being hingedly connected to a post and separately connected to an adjacent rod section, the adjacent ends of said rod sections overlapping each other, a sleeve slidable on one of said rod sections for enclosing the free end of an adjacent rod section to thereby eifect a separable connection therebetween, a flexible cord engageable with each of said posts intermediate the ends thereof, and a manually actuated winding reel on one of said posts engaging said flexible cord for winding said last mentioned cord thereabout thereby folding said posts, rod sections and links together in their folded relation to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,828,656 Handler Oct. 20, 1931 2,137,625 Norvell Nov. 22, 1938 2,486,170 Kavanaugh Oct. 25, 1949 2,575,572 Wickstrum Nov. 20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 21,055 Great Britain Sept. 9, 1910 

